Workers Compensation Law: What Types Of Injuries Are Covered?

Every state demands that employers protect their employees from workplace accidents and incidents by providing a worker's compensation benefits package. The workman compensation law refers to a system of rules and procedures designed to reimburse an employee's expenses who might have been injured while undertaking job-related tasks. These laws were enacted to replace traditional personal injury litigation.

Under the compensation law, both the employer and the employee have several responsibilities to act on. The compensation pays for the worker's medical bills, lost wages, and any rehabilitation costs.

For any employee to be liable for a worker's compensation, you are required to demonstrate that the injury is work-related. The U.S Occupational Safety and Health Administration would describe an injury or illness as work-related if any exposure or event within the work environment contributed to its occurrence.

The types of injuries covered under the compensation law vary from state to state. This article will provide an introductory guide on the general types of injuries and accidents covered under the law.

Occupational Illness

Workers' compensation law covers any disease or illness that arises due to continuous exposure to a harmful agent within the work environment. This ranges from traditional diseases such as asbestosis and black lung disease to the most recent ongoing pandemic, Covid-19.

Often, establishing a link between work exposure and occupational illness may be difficult for common diseases such as high blood pressure or lung cancer. You must obtain the advice of a medical practitioner to determine the likelihood of the illness occurring due to work-environment exposure.

As an employer, it is prudent that you emphasize pre-employment checks for your employees. This way, you will take note of any employees with pre-existing conditions before their employment.

Hearing Loss

Construction sites and manufacturing sites are prone to high noises due to the varying nature of tasks. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Act, the legal limit for noise exposure in the workplace is 85dBA (decibels). Any level higher than that can expose the employee to risks of hearing loss.

Stress-Related Injuries

Some states are gradually recognizing physical illnesses brought about as a result of emotional stress at work. Medical professionals have established a link between long-term exposure to work stress and myriad diseases.

However, for an employee to qualify for the compensation benefits, you must provide concrete evidence to support the claim.

Repetitive motion

Employees involved in physical tasks where the same steps have to be repeated have a higher likelihood of sustaining repetitive strain or stress injuries.

Conclusion

The rules under workers' compensation law can be pretty complicated and may vary from state to state. Talk to an attorney to help you understand whether your illness or injury is eligible for compensation under the workers' compensation law. An attorney can provide more information regarding workers' compensation law.

Share